WEST LAFAYETTE — Purdue University’s College of Engineering online master’s degrees and College of Education offerings again ranked among the nation’s elite in the newest U.S. News & World Report rankings of best online programs.
Purdue online master’s degrees in industrial engineering, mechanical engineering, and engineering management all ranked No. 1 for 2024 — the fifth consecutive year industrial and mechanical engineering have topped the list and the third year for engineering management.
College of Education’s online master’s programs jumped eight spots in the rankings to No. 15 in the U.S., up from No. 23. The college’s online master’s in curriculum and instruction is ranked No. 6, up 13 spots from No. 19 in 2023.
The rankings, released Wednesday (Feb. 7), have the engineering master’s degrees in Purdue’s full array of online engineering programs tied with Penn State at No. 3 nationally. In addition, Purdue’s online civil engineering master’s is ranked No. 2, and the online electrical engineering master’s is No. 3.
Purdue also ranked No. 5 in online engineering master’s programs for veterans. The newest rankings can be viewed online. Online master’s programs from Purdue’s College of Engineering were among 109 U.S. colleges and universities considered for ranking.
Purdue’s online engineering master’s programs trail only the University of California, Los Angeles, and the University of Illinois. Purdue ranked ahead of Johns Hopkins University, Columbia University, the University of Southern California, and Big Ten schools, such as the University of Nebraska, the University of Maryland, and the University of Michigan, in the top 10.
“Continuing recognition of our online engineering programs is a strong indicator we are on track to maximize the impact of our land-grant mission,” said Arvind Raman, Purdue’s John A. Edwardson Dean of the College of Engineering. “Innovative online education that spans geography and life stages is key to our efforts to expand student opportunities and excel at meeting workforce needs for well-prepared and diverse engineering talent.”
Learning design and technology is No. 10 in the College of Education, educational administration is No. 11, and special education is No. 13.
These rankings keep the college No. 1 in Indiana and the top 5% of online master’s in education programs in the nation out of the listed universities.
“This recent recognition validates the extraordinary efforts of our faculty and confirms our leadership in delivering quality, faculty-designed, and faculty-delivered online learning,” said Phillip J. VanFossen, interim dean of the College of Education.
Purdue is engaged in an initiative to deliver at-scale, high-quality online programs that serve various students, working professionals, and corporate partners with offerings that address high-need, high-demand areas and are accessible, affordable, and demonstrably beneficial.
“Continuous, lifelong learning is now a fact of life in many professions today, engineering prominent among them,” said Dimitrios Peroulis, senior vice president for Purdue University Online. “Our online master’s degrees are one way we make the same rigorous Purdue training offered on our flagship campus available anytime, anywhere. And we regularly add online programs that address the deep societal need for workforce training in semiconductors and artificial intelligence.”
Organizers of the annual U.S. News rankings analyze data on factors such as the quality of students entering a program and its legitimacy in the job market; faculty credentials and training; online teaching practices that help students stay enrolled and graduate in a timely fashion; how the programs employ technologies to engage students in online classes and labs and allow them flexibility; and the quality of student support services, career guidance and financial aid resources.
In addition, U.S. News conducts a peer assessment survey of high-ranking academic officials —including deans and top online learning leaders — as an essential element of its rankings.
Information: Greg Kline, gkline@purdue.edu
Sources: Arvind Raman, raman@purdue.edu, Phillip J. VanFossen vanfoss@purdue.edu, Dimitrios Peroulis, dperouli@purdue.edu
